Not to worry though because this coming week is going to be a big one – a Bank Holiday! Not just any Bank Holiday though but the last one of 2018 (I don’t count Boxing Day).
So do something good and have a chill and enjoy yourselves on the following…
August Bank Holiday
I’ve got my Bank Holiday planned to a tee, utilising some extensive Google Calendar synchronising and elaborate diary shufflings over the past few weeks to create what hopes to be a stress-free and very enjoyable 3 days. Either that or it will all go to shit on Saturday when I drink too much Buckfast and end up in bed by 2pm with a Gregg’s Steak Bake mashed in my teeth. If perhaps you’ve not really thought about it or are just shite at making decisions I suggest you check out my Guide to what’s going on in the city this Bank Holiday weekend and although it’s nowhere near comprehensive – it’s got all the best things in there. See ya Tuesday!
The Ultimate Guide to August Bank Holiday 2018
Spice Girls Exhibition at Manchester Central
Starts Friday 24th August
An Exhibition about the Spice Girls? Sounds brilliant. I’m in. As long as there are plenty of Baby (spice) related paraphernalia then it should be brilliant. Turning up at Manchester Central on Friday, this exhibition promises to be the ultimate experience for any Spice Girls fan, and if you’re between the ages of 25 and 35 – you definitely will have been, dancing away to ‘Say You’ll Be There’ with some massive platform trainers on and doing the peace sign every chance you got. The tickets are going fast from the link below (off a website which looks like it was designed in 1997) so be quick. There’s also a little Spice playlist to get you in the mood too.
Summer Screenings – Moana in Spinningfields
Monday 27th August
Another movie here because quite frankly, after a Bank Holiday, nobody can be bothered. And so just like a mother who has two young kids to entertain in the school holidays, where all she wants to do is read her Mills & Boon in bed while watching the window cleaner across the road – they’re going to put a video on for you. This time it’s Moana – that Disney one that came out a couple of years ago and is about a girl in Hawaii whose dad is a fat version of The Rock. I’ve not seen it myself, although I’ve heard it’s excellent and perfect for both young little scallywags and bored adults. It’s free too so if it’s not too wet or cold – get involved.
Jackie Brown at HOME
Tuesday 28th August
Probably Quentin Tarantino’s best movie, Jackie Brown is a fantastically twisty ride involving drugs, murder, twists and mucky little quickies up against the wall. Samuel L. Jackson is brilliant as Ordell Robbie – a bit of a gangster who ends up on the wrong side of Pam Grier. The soundtrack is amazing, the acting spot-on and it’s all deftly weaved together by Tarantino who was probably at the peak of his powers around this time before he started pinching arses and chatting too much shit. To be fair though I did watch Hateful Eight the other night for the first time since the cinema and it was much, much better than I remember. Anyway if you fancy Jackie Brown on the big screen, head to HOME on Tuesday.
Cilla – The Musical
Starts Tuesday 28th August
“Ooooh Cilla is a National Treasure!” “I love her on Blind Date – she’s such a laugh!” “She used to hang around with The Beatles don’t you know?”
This was everyone’s Nan around 1995 when Cilla Black was at the peak of her TV powers. Every Saturday night started off with a bit of You’ve Been Framed, then Blind Date, then Noel’s House Party and finally a bit of Casualty before Red Shoe Diaries came on and your dad told you to go up to bed. Cilla, of course was also a singer in her day and got to be pretty popular in the 60’s – ending up hanging around with the likes of The Beatles, Cannon & Ball and Bob Carolgees. This musical production at The Lowry kicks off this week with loads of singing and probably some dancing. I heard once off someone who knew her that she was a bit of a monster but I’m sure she’ll come across nice in this.
Found Footage at Patron
Tuesday 28th August
It was always fun looking through our old VHS collection as a kid. I seem to remember my mum bought some of those video cases that made them look like classic novels (probably out of the Kleeneze catalog), but inside each one was a video that had been taped over more times than Jordan’s tits in the 90’s. What resulted was the kind of viewing pleasure where halfway through Beetlejuice there would be a random episode of Brookside, back to Beetlejuice and then finished with around 13 minutes of Challenge Annika. Well, the geezers who run this Found Footage Festival at The Patron know all about this – they’ve spent the last 25 years picking up odd VHS tapes around America and then pressing play and taking the piss in front of an audience. It’s a proper good laugh I promise.
Jigger Beaker & Glass – Science of Flavour at The Whiskey Jar
Tuesday 28th August
I’m a bit confused about this event over at The Whiskey Jar, mostly because I’m an ignoramus and also because I have the taste buds of that 10 year old boy in My Girl who’s allergic to everything. Not that I’m allergic, it’s just that through many years of eating mainly beige food and drinking mostly Tennant’s Super my taste buds have been burned away to reveal – nothing. Hopefully this can help though as Difford’s Guide – the cocktail legends – head to the Whiskey Jar to look at the science of flavour. They’ve broken the concept up into three parts – Jigger, Beaker and Glass which aims to explain what happens when we taste, how this can be manipulated and how far we can push what our senses perceive. Very interesting indeed (and it’s FREE).
Ted Bundy: Wednesday Night Crime Club
Wednesday 29th August
What a piece of shit Ted Bundy was. Not only did he murder a load of women but he was also really rather attractive – bloody bastard. As serial killers go though, his story is one of the most interesting ones – someone who killed for years with even his closest friends and family unaware of his secret life. Wednesday sees ex-copper Paul Harrison head to Joshua Brooks to look at Bundy’s childhood, his life and his crimes – perhaps to see why he did what he did or perhaps to just make sense of his actions. I can imagine there will be lots of girls at this one – there always seems to be some weird fascination between women and serial killers. Perhaps I should become one – I might get more swipes on Tinder.
ShinDigger Sessions – Tap Takeover at Sandinista
Thursday 30th August
Sandinista love a bloody good Tap Takeover and it seems there’s nobody better to takeover said taps than Manchester-based brewers ShinDigger. As well as designing snazzy cans, ShinDigger also make a great range of ales including their excellent Mango Unchained – a personal favourite of mine. I’m not usually a craft ale kinda guy – much preferring a fizzy commercial lager – but if I had to drink one – it would be this. The hook for the night? FREE BEERS from 7pm.
